


Wait... Was That A Date?!

by Esperata



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: First Dates, First Kiss, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Tony Being Tony
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-18
Updated: 2018-05-18
Packaged: 2019-05-08 17:19:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,685
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14698812
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Esperata/pseuds/Esperata
Summary: Bruce and Thor have been out to dinner. It seems there's a difference of opinion over just what that means though.





	Wait... Was That A Date?!

**Author's Note:**

  * For [FandomStar](https://archiveofourown.org/users/FandomStar/gifts).



As they stepped out of the elevator, Bruce turned to Thor with a smile.

“Thanks for dinner. It was a good idea to get out of the tower for a while.”

Thor smiled back, his face as open and honest as ever.

“It was my pleasure.” He ducked his head slightly before glancing again at Banner. “Does that mean you would be willing to go out with me again?”

Bruce’s smile turned softer as he contemplated the awkward god before him, still so unsure about Earth and its ways. What most people would consider as the mundane act of eating out was to the Asgardian a minefield of potential faux pas. It was perhaps a small kindness to guide him but one Bruce was more than willing to proffer.

“I’d be happy to,” he replied sincerely.

Thor’s smile shone with a level of happiness that made Bruce feel suddenly unworthy and he shuffled anxiously.

“I… ah…” he gestured back towards the labs. “Should really…”

He wasn’t exactly sure what he intended saying but thankfully Thor understood his intent.

“Of course.” The god nodded and stepped backwards. “I have kept you from your work long enough for today. Until tomorrow?”

“Absolutely,” Bruce agreed automatically. “Tomorrow.”

He continued walking backwards, somehow not wanting to simply turn his back on Thor, until he stumbled against the sofa. Righting himself quickly he finally offered an awkward wave and turned properly to retreat to the laboratory.

He took a deep breath when he was out of sight and tried not to remember how happy Thor had looked when Bruce had agreed to give up his time for him. If Thor knew how much Bruce would willingly offer then he was absolutely sure the thunder god would not look half so pleased.

Disgusted possibly. Embarrassed certainly.

But Bruce was used to ignoring his feelings for other people and remained grateful that he could count himself as the beautiful god’s good friend. It was really more than he could ever have expected.

He stepped into the lab to find Stark still working on his nano technology. Tony glanced up and smirked at him.

“So? How’d your date go?”

Bruce threw him a withering look as he took his place in front of his own screen.

“It wasn’t a date,” he corrected. “But dinner was good.”

Tony turned from his work to focus all his attention on Bruce and Bruce had to stifle a sigh of resignation. Tony could be very single minded at times.

“It was too a date,” he countered.

Bruce chose not to respond, keeping his eyes fixed on loading his equations from earlier, and hoped Tony would drop the subject.

“Did he ask you out again?”

“He didn’t _ask me out,_ ” Bruce snapped, a little more irritably than he’d have liked. He took a calming breath and revised his answer. “But we are going to dinner again. Tomorrow.”

Tony clapped his hands triumphantly, making Bruce flinch.

“Knew it,” Tony announced. “That means it certainly _was_ a date.”

“It can’t be a date.” Bruce turned to face his self-satisfied friend, resigned to having to explain. “There’s nothing between us like that.”

“Really? You’re not interested? Shit.” Tony frowned. “Do you want me to break it to him? ‘cause I’m pretty sure he thinks you’re dating-”

“Tony,” Bruce interrupted the ramble with a bemused expression. “Thor wouldn’t want to date me.”

Now it was Tony’s turn to look bemused.

“Why not?” He surveyed Bruce up and down. “Because if I thought I was your type _I’d_ have asked.”

“Because!” Bruce huffed out an annoyed breath. “He’s a _god_ and I’m… well, either a science geek or a giant rage monster. Neither are really hot picks in the romance department.”

“Bruce,” Tony sounded serious for once. “You’re a hero. And if Thor has a type its obviously for science geeks. Hell, if he weren’t so smitten by you I’d have certainly tried my luck.”

“Smitten by…? Tony, he isn’t…”

“Bruce,” Tony echoed back. “He _is_.”

Banner ran a hand through his hair as he tried to wrap his mind around the concept. Could it be possible? Well theoretically it could. And Thor _had_ asked him to dinner. Twice now. Did that mean…?

He suddenly felt a wave of vertigo hit him and collapsed down onto a chair.

“Hey.” Tony’s voice was concerned as he moved closer. “Are you going to throw up? ‘cause I’d really rather you avoided some of this equipment.”

Bruce clutched his head in his hands.

“I think I might pass out,” he mumbled.

He felt Tony’s hand land on his shoulder and rub vaguely. Truthfully he was more grateful for the silence though.

Eventually he pulled himself back upright.

“You okay?” Tony studied him intently but whether he was checking for signs of sickness green or hulk green Bruce didn’t know.

“I’m alright,” he confirmed. “I just can’t believe I went on a date with Thor.”

Even as he said it, Bruce felt it was literally true. He _couldn’t_ believe that. Tony was seeing things where there wasn’t anything to see. Shaking his head he stood up, subtly removing himself from Tony’s physical reach.

“You know what? It’s ridiculous. It wasn’t a date. You just have lust on the brain.”

“Hey!” Tony protested. “If you don’t believe me why don’t you ask Thor huh?”

“I may just do that,” Bruce shot back even as he turned to leave the lab. There was no way he was going to be getting any work done with his mind mixed up the way it was now. Especially if Tony was going to badger him about this the whole time.

He didn’t really intend to ask Thor – because how awkward would that be? – but he’d no sooner returned to the living space, still in a muddle over Tony’s suggestion, when he literally ran into the god.

“Bruce?” Thor’s surprise had quickly morphed into worry at his expression. “What is wrong?”

Bruce stared up at him, lost in the open concern for him displayed in Thor’s clear gaze, and his mouth acted on its own.

“Did we go on a date?”

He winced as he heard himself and had to look away as Thor’s face froze. His breath sounded too loud in the silence but he focused on keeping it even to calm his heart rate.

“I had thought so,” Thor answered hesitantly, and the uncertainty in his tone brought Bruce’s eyes back to his. Incredibly, Thor looked like it might have been something he wanted.

“But if you would rather continue as friends,” Thor carried on, “then I will understand and I assure you I will never-”

“I’d like to,” Bruce interrupted suddenly.

It wasn’t until he saw Thor’s face fall and his smile disappear that Bruce ran the past couple of sentences past again and realised his error.

“Date I mean,” he corrected hastily. “I’d like to go out with you again. If you still want to, that is.”

He’d ducked his face to hide his embarrassment but then Thor’s gentle fingers cradled his jaw and raised it up again. Bruce didn’t think he’d ever seen such a look of divine beauty.

“I would very much like to date you Bruce Banner.”

A disbelieving smile broke out on his face and all he could do was stare happily at the god. Thor smiled back.

“Tomorrow?” he queried again.

Bruce nodded but then, as Thor began to back away, he coughed awkwardly.

“Thor?”

“Yes?” The thunder god stepped swiftly back towards him.

“I’m sorry I didn’t realise today was a date. If I had…” he took a breath to gather his courage. In actual fact he’d probably have had a panic attack if he’d realised it was a date but he wasn’t about to point that out now. “I’d have pointed out that you forgot something,” he said determinedly.

Thor frowned in confusion before shaking his head apologetically.

“I’m afraid I am not well versed in human dating.”

“That’s okay.” Bruce took one of Thor’s hands in his and focused his attention on it so he wouldn’t lose his nerve. “But you’re supposed to kiss your date goodnight.”

“Ah.” Thor flexed his fingers to entwine them with Bruce’s and tugged the human gently closer. “That is a human tradition I would like to partake in.”

Bruce glanced up to say ‘really?’ but found his breath stolen by the sparkle in Thor’s eyes. As he stood stunned, the god moved in and carefully pushed his lips to Bruce’s.

For one microsecond, Bruce’s brain refused to comprehend the fact he was being kissed. By _Thor_.

Thankfully then his instincts kicked in and he grasped Thor’s head so he wouldn’t leave too soon and he kissed Thor back with every ounce of passion he usually reserved for his science.

Bruce couldn’t have told you anything other than the fact that every sense in his body was filled with Thor. He couldn’t have said how long they kissed or when the strong arms had hooked around him. In fact the next thing he was consciously aware of was a complete shock and very unwelcome.

“Told you it was a date!”

Bruce buried his face in a heavenly smelling shoulder and wished he had enough breath to curse Tony. Although that would imply he hadn’t kissed Thor anything like enough so perhaps not.

Warm breath gusted across his ear as Thor held him close.

“Is it also Midgardian custom to escort a date to their room?”

Bruce smiled and nodded, knowing Thor would feel the action even if he didn’t see it.

As they reluctantly disentangled Thor kept one hand planted on the small of Bruce’s back to guide him. It seemed to send tingles of anticipation through him. Enough to mitigate the annoyance of Tony’s smug grin.

“No putting out on a first date, you hear?” Stark called teasingly after him.

Bruce smiled as he left the room with Thor and merely flipped Tony the finger. Behind them he heard Tony’s bark of happy laughter but Bruce was too lost in Thor’s devilish smile to care.


End file.
